Seven strategic priorities to lead our Shire
At the last Council meeting Wingecarribee Shire councillors unanimously voted to publicly exhibit a collection of draft community planning and budgeting documents.
Included in these documents was Council’s Community Strategic Plan, Resourcing Strategy, Delivery Program and Operational Plan which also includes the 2017/18 Budget and Revenue Policy.
Together these documents provide a blueprint for Council’s immediate and future program of works.
But a section entitled ‘Our Strategic Priorities’, found at the front of the Draft Delivery Program 2017-21 and Operational Plan 2017/18, provides perhaps the greatest insight into Council’s longer-term goals.
Wingecarribee Shire General Manager Ann Prendergast explained.
“When Council put these documents together we asked our community how and where they’d like to see our Shire in the years ahead,” she said. “We asked them about their long-term vision and goals for the Shire and how these should be achieved.”
“We did this by hosting a range of community engagement activities for hundreds of local residents including workshops, surveys and meetings.
“From these discussions emerged a series of consistent and re-occurring messages which we’ve rationalised and grouped into seven strategic priorities,” Ms Prendergast said.
They include:
- Responsible financial management
Council recognises it has a responsibility to carefully manage the community’s funds and assets. This means we will prudently allocate monies to ensure a balanced budget is maintained in both the short and long-term. - Improving our community assetsImproving the standard of our community assets like roads, buildings, drainage and parks should remain a key focus of Council. This means investing more money into asset renewal and maintenance to meet the long-term expectation of our community.
- Protecting our natural environmentCouncil is committed to protecting our unique environment via our Environment Levy and ensuring projects and programs are implemented that protect and enhance our natural environment.
- Delivery of significant infrastructure projects
Council is committed to delivering key infrastructure projects including the repair of the Mittagong Pool, the redevelopment of Bowral Memorial Hall, rectification of Council’s Civic Centre, upgrades to our Sewer Treatment Plants and the construction of Bowral’s Station Street Project and the Berrima Road Deviation.
- Better service alignment and deliveryTo ensure we deliver services which are in-line with community expectations, Council will undertake a comprehensive review of all Council services. A detailed business analysis and community engagement program will be undertaken as part of this review.
- Business transformation
Council recognises that the community has an expectation that we interact with them using a variety of modern and efficient technologies that help cut red tape.
- Community wellbeing
Council is committed to promoting and supporting initiatives that enhance our community’s wellbeing. We’ll work with State and Federal partners as well as local community organisations to ensure community services and employment opportunities are encouraged and enhanced. We’ll also help foster community spirit by providing and supporting a range of events, festivals and celebrations.
“When residents look at our collection of integrated planning and reporting documents, I’d ask them to take a moment and have a think about these seven priorities,” Ms Prendergast added.
“Are they consistent with the vision they have for our Shire or are there other areas they’d like to see Council and our community focus on?”
The draft documents, including the seven Strategic Priorities found within the Draft Delivery Program 2017-21 and Operational Plan 2017/18, will be on exhibition until Sunday 28 May 2017.
The documents can be viewed online at www.yoursaywingecarribee.com.au or at Council’s Moss Vale Civic Centre and at Council’s libraries.
Feedback and submissions can be made via email at mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au, online at www.yoursaywingecarribee.com.au or in writing addressed to the General Manager at Wingecarribee Shire Council – PO Box 141, Moss Vale, NSW 2577.
All feedback and submissions must be made by midnight Sunday 28 May 2017.